Optical element retracting mechanism for a photographing lens

An optical element retracting mechanism for a retractable lens including an optical system having a plurality of optical elements, said optical element retracting mechanism comprising:

• a linearly movable ring configured to be guided along an optical axis of said optical system without rotating, and which retracts toward a plane along said optical axis when said retractable lens moves from an operational state to a fully-retracted state;
• a swingable holder on a pivot and swingable about said pivot, and further positioned inside said linearly movable ring to be supported thereby, said swingable holder supporting a retractable optical element as one of said plurality of optical elements;
• a position-controller holding said swingable holder such that said retractable optical element remains on said optical axis when said retractable lens is in said operational state, and further rotating said swingable holder about said pivot such that said retractable optical element retracts to a position which deviates from said optical axis when said linearly movable ring, together with said swingable holder, retracts toward said plane;
• a pair of support plates which are fixed to front and rear surfaces of said linearly movable ring in said optical axis direction to support opposite ends of said pivot, respectively, wherein a pair of first elongated holes and a pair of second elongated holes are located on said pair of support plates, respectively, such that said pair of first elongated holes face each other in said optical axis direction and extend generally parallel to each other, and such that said pair of second elongated holes face each other in said optical axis direction and extend generally parallel to each other, a direction of elongation of said pair of first elongated holes and a direction of elongation of said pair of second elongated holes being generally orthogonal to each other;
• a support plate fixing device fixing said pair of support plates to said linearly movable ring, wherein said support plate fixing device allows said pair of support plates to move relative to said linearly movable ring in directions lying in a plane generally orthogonal to said optical axis when said support plate fixing device is in a released state;
• a first rotatable shaft having a first axis generally parallel to said optical axis, supported by said linearly movable ring to be rotatable about said first axis, and having a pair of first eccentric pins at opposite ends of said first rotatable shaft, each of said pair of first eccentric pins having an axis eccentric to said first axis, said pair of first eccentric pins being respectively engaged in said pair of first elongated holes to be movable therein in said direction of elongation of said pair of first elongated holes, wherein when said first rotatable shaft is rotated, a first movement force is applied on said pair of support plates in a direction generally orthogonal to said direction of elongation of said first elongated hole;
• a second rotatable shaft having a second axis generally parallel to said optical axis, supported by said linearly movable ring to be rotatable about said second axis, and having a pair of second eccentric pins at opposite ends of said second rotatable shaft, each of said pair of second eccentric pins having an axis eccentric to said second axis, said pair of second eccentric pins being respectively engaged in said pair of second elongated holes of said pair of support plates to be movable therein in said direction of elongation of said pair of second elongated holes, wherein when said second rotatable shaft is rotated, a second movement force is applied on said pair of support plates in a direction generally orthogonal to said direction of elongation of said second elongated hole;
• and
• a movement direction setting device, provided on said pair of support plates and said linearly movable ring and setting the direction of movement of said pair of support plates in a plane generally orthogonal to said optical axis when at least one of said first and second movement force is applied on said pair of support plates by a respective at least one of said rotation of said first rotatable shaft and said rotation of said second rotatable shaft when said support plate fixing device is in said released state.